For so long the basement battlers in women's football, Cork City finally get a chance to sample the elite stage tomorrow when they meet UCD Waves in the FAI Cup final at Lansdowne Road (12.0).

The side that morphed from the Cork league into the club hadn't finished above the bottom two in the past four years and, though they've enjoyed their best season, the Leesiders are still underdogs in this decider.

UCD Waves won both league meetings between the pair - the most recent a 3-0 triumph eight weeks ago - and have prevailed in three of the previous five finals they've contested.

Since their last appearance at Lansdowne three years ago, when Raheny United edged them 2-1 in extra-time, Waves have lost experienced manager Eileen Gleeson and Julie-Ann Russell emigrated to Australia.

Injury keeps a survivor from that finale, Aine O'Gorman, out but fellow Ireland international Karen Duggan should return to central midfield after missing the recent win over Slovakia with a hamstring complaint.

If City are to cause an upset, and a play their part in potential Cup double for the club, then Clare Shine must deliver. The youngest member of Noel King's U-17 squad at the World Cup seven years ago has the ability to create history for her native club.